A Korean Lunch Staple, But... "10 Times More Lethal Than Sugar"—Doctor Warns of Foods That Destroy the Pancreas

Identifying "Rice Cakes, Gimbap, Instant Coffee Mix, and Fruit Juice" as Risks
Suggesting Dietary Changes Such as Using Roasted Onions Instead of Sugar

A practicing physician has identified tteok (rice cake), gimbap, instant coffee mix, and fruit juice as representative foods that threaten pancreatic health.

Gimbap. Pixabay

Wonkyung Lee, a radiology specialist, uploaded a video titled "Foods 10 Times More Lethal Than Sugar. Deadly Disease Pancreatic Cancer—Avoid These at All Costs" to her YouTube channel, "Medical Encyclopedia by Wonkyung Lee," on March 12.

Dr. Lee introduced food items commonly consumed by Koreans that could be fatal to pancreatic health. She singled out the "worst foods for the pancreas" as follows: tteok (rice cake), gimbap, instant coffee mix, and fruit juice. Dr. Lee pointed out, "There are reports that the number of diabetes patients has increased by about 19% over the past five years," adding, "The Korean diet overall contains many sweet and salty foods, and sugar consumption is high."

She first highlighted tteok, made by grinding rice flour, as a representative food that rapidly raises blood sugar levels. Dr. Lee advised that if you must eat tteok, it may be helpful to choose those made with brown rice, which has a relatively lower glycemic index than white rice. Next, she named gimbap, considered the top "convenience meal." While it is a popular and simple meal for Koreans, Dr. Lee explained that commercially available gimbap often contains sweeteners like sugar in the rice, which can quickly raise blood sugar levels.

Instant coffee mix, often consumed after meals, was also cited as a major culprit threatening pancreatic health. Dr. Lee warned, "Instant coffee mix contains sugar and creamer, which can cause a sharp rise in blood sugar, and long-term consumption can increase the risk of hyperlipidemia or diabetes."

Fruit juice, typically regarded as a healthy option, was also included. Dr. Lee explained, "Unlike eating whole fruit, drinking blended fruit juice allows sugar to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream, causing blood sugar spikes." In fact, a research team from the Department of Food and Nutrition at Kongju National University analyzed 925 commercially available beverages in Korea and found that fruit juice had the highest sugar content among the items tested, with 10.6 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters.

Dr. Lee recommended using roasted onions instead of sugar in cooking and eating brown rice or mixed grains instead of white rice for pancreatic health. She also suggested improving meal order by eating dietary fiber and protein first, followed by carbohydrates at the end.

The pancreas is a key organ that regulates insulin secretion in response to changes in blood sugar. When refined carbohydrates that are rapidly digested and absorbed continually enter the body, insulin secretion is frequently required. Over time, this can lead to a state of "insulin resistance," where insulin becomes less effective, making blood sugar regulation more difficult. Such "overload" can result in pancreatic cell damage and inflammation.

According to the National Cancer Registry Statistics from the Central Cancer Registry of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the five-year relative survival rate for pancreatic cancer is about 17%, which is among the lowest for major cancers. This is because early symptoms are not distinct, making early detection difficult, and many cases are already significantly advanced by the time they are discovered.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.